“It’s always been her, isn’t it? Raashi? She’s the one for you, right?” she asked.
Sameer turned back to Natasha.
Natasha continued, “I don’t know what your past with her was, but I do know that the moment your eyes met hers that night at AquaNox, something changed. You were always different whenever she was around. As if all your focus was pinned on her. You looked smitten. I refused to accept it earlier but now I do.”
Sameer nodded. “It’s always been her. It will always be only her. I let her go once, but never again.”
Natasha came closer and gave him a kiss on his cheek, hugging him tight. “In that case, I am happy for you. You deserve this joy.”
He held her close to him, thankful that it had ended peacefully between them. He searched for Raashi and couldn’t find her where he’d seen her last. He looked around and foundher in a corner of the lawn staring at him and Natasha. A look of hurt crossed her face and a moment later her expression changed to pure rage. She turned her head and said something to Rithwik Bali. When did Rithwik whisk her away to a corner and for what? The next minute he had his answer. Bloody hell. Leaving Natasha, he rushed towards Raashi.
21
“Aren’t you looking gorgeous today?” Rithwik took a turn around her playfully. Then he paused in front of her. “I like it very much.”
Raashi laughed as he touched her earring.
“So where have you been, Raashi? You’ve avoided going out with me for a while now,” Rithwik complained.
“I have just been busy at work.”
“With work or with Sameer Sehgal?” Rithwik asked point-blank.
“You know we are working together,” Raashi said.
“Are you sure that’s it?”
“Yes, now what exactly did you want to talk about?” Raashi asked, desperately wanting a change in subject. Her feelings for Sameer were too new and too raw to discuss with Rithwik.
“Well, my father is refusing to budge an inch on his marriage ultimatum. I spoke to him again but it’s of no use. Have you given any thought to my proposal?”
“No,” she replied honestly.
“Why not, Raashi? I don’t need to reiterate how good we can be together. We’ve been friends forever, we know each othervery well and the last months we’ve connected much better than before. I am not seeing anyone else and you also claim that you are not. I think that’s quite a lot to get us going.”
“But...” Raashi started to say before she paused.
She couldn’t marry Rithwik especially now when she had all these feelings for Sameer that she hadn’t yet sorted out. She knew what these feelings were but she wasn’t ready to accept them yet. Not even to herself.
Her eyes automatically flitted to Sameer and what she saw left her shocked. She saw Natasha lean forward to kiss his cheek and then hug him. And Sameer hugged her back. His arms were around her waist and Natasha had her arms around his back, her head on his shoulder.
If he was indeed not with Natasha like he had her believe then why was he holding her so tight? She was crazy to have believed everything that came out of his deceitful mouth. She saw him turn to look at her. Their eyes met. Her eyes flashed fire, declaring war.
She turned to Rithwik. “Kiss me!”
“Wait what?” he staggered a step behind, his palm raised.
“You heard what I said. You want to marry me, right? If I agree, we’d get around to kissing sometime. Well then, do it now.”
“But we’ve never...”
“I said now,” Raashi said louder.
“Now?” Rithwik asked again, clearly taken aback.
“Yes, kiss me and show me that you mean it.”
“OK,” he said and moved closer to her.
